Cross between a mountain bike and a jump bike required!

[007fair]

Hi all

I need a new bike for my son who will be 12 soon. This will be his first full size bike and will need a small frame obviously.

We have done some mountainbiking together (red runs) and also family days out so would like a bike that he can continue these activities on.. but he is after the 'Danny McAskil' jump bike look.

So the question is - what bikes are there that will look a bit like a jump bike and be able to do basic tricks on and still be able to handle some off road stuff (not downhill racing). Red runs, and trails etc.
..oh .. and not cost a fortune!

BTW he has a 24 inch wheel Scott Scale Junior for sale If any one is interested! £350 in the shops

 

[Crackle]

Ah, been here. Quite a few actually. The one I ended up buying son no1 was the Scott Voltage yz20. It's definetly set up as a jump bike but it's versatile enough for general use, in fact it was used for a small tour this year.

It's great for tricks, wheelies small jumps and generally scratting on and looking cool but it will do for longer rides or trails. It does come with jump tyres and not mtn bike tyres. They are bigger and wider with a lower profile but that actually makes it better on the road but probably not so good for muddy trails.

Scott are not the only ones who do a jump range, most of the major manufacturers do.

I'll try and find a picture of the typical sort of stuff he likes to do, which is to go to a forest where there's berms and small jumps and just ride up and down the trail repeating the jumps. It's easy to wheelie as well, even I can do it!

Edit: Forgot to say, he's a smallish 14 year old and the XS fits him.

 

[Crackle]

This would be fairly typical of what he likes to do on it and which the bike is set up for doing. You can see the size of the XS here in relation to him and yet he can still handle it and jump it quite easily and that's not just him, the bike is right for it.

That said, we did tour on it this summer.

All in all, fairly versatile. The seat is not the most comfy though. I'd change it for longer rides.

Like I say, Scott are not the only ones doing this style of bike, Specialized, Kona, DMR, and Marin are some of the ones I know of, though the Scott was the most affordable and they do a few variations both cheaper and more expensive.

 

[007fair]

This would be fairly typical of what he likes to do on it and which the bike is set up for doing. You can see the size of the XS here in relation to him and yet he can still handle it and jump it quite easily and that's not just him, the bike is right for it.

That said, we did tour on it this summer.

All in all, fairly versatile. The seat is not the most comfy though. I'd change it for longer rides.

Like I say, Scott are not the only ones doing this style of bike, Specialized, Kona, DMR, and Marin are some of the ones I know of, though the Scott was the most affordable and they do a few variations both cheaper and more expensive.

Great stuff Crackle! Thanks for that The Scott looks Ideal Just need to get the size sorted then look around for a deal or maybe second hand He wants to spend his money on electronic gadgetry but am trying to disuade him

 

[007fair]

Ah, been here. Quite a few actually. The one I ended up buying son no1 was the Scott Voltage yz20. It's definetly set up as a jump bike but it's versatile enough for general use, in fact it was used for a small tour this year.

It's great for tricks, wheelies small jumps and generally scratting on and looking cool but it will do for longer rides or trails. It does come with jump tyres and not mtn bike tyres. They are bigger and wider with a lower profile but that actually makes it better on the road but probably not so good for muddy trails.

Scott are not the only ones who do a jump range, most of the major manufacturers do.

I'll try and find a picture of the typical sort of stuff he likes to do, which is to go to a forest where there's berms and small jumps and just ride up and down the trail repeating the jumps. It's easy to wheelie as well, even I can do it!

Edit: Forgot to say, he's a smallish 14 year old and the XS fits him.

Update incase your interested Cackle - He liked the Scott! They were on sale in Evans for a 2011 model so we have gone for a YZ30 (didn't do a YZ20..) in black with purple decals etc He tried the medium and the it was Ok for him and will give him some growing room but now I am at home and seeing your son got an XS I am wondering if a medium is too big Anyway we have a refundable deposit so we could change it need be I think

 

[Crackle]

Update incase your interested Cackle - He liked the Scott! They were on sale in Evans for a 2011 model so we have gone for a YZ30 (didn't do a YZ20..) in black with purple decals etc He tried the medium and the it was Ok for him and will give him some growing room but now I am at home and seeing your son got an XS I am wondering if a medium is too big Anyway we have a refundable deposit so we could change it need be I think

I was interested but haven't been on for a while.

That's good news, I don't think they did the yz30 when we got ours. My son got the XS a year or more ago, now it would easily be a medium, that's life. if it is too big, it won't be for long. I can just ride the xs as an adult and as it's a jump bike, , fit is less important there, so he can always keep it just for that or I have son no.2 waiting in the wings.

 

[Crackle]

[QUOTE 1566422"]
Nice to see you back Crackle!

You don't have a 24" wheel bike in your garage which your boys have moved up from do you? I'm looking at the next stage for our eldest now. He's grown out of his Islabike and uses a BMX for most of his riding, but the Shred I had off you hasn't been getting a lot of use because of it's closeness in size to the Islabike. I thought I'd sell a Beinn 20 which we've got but don't need and the Shred and get him a 24" bike for longer rides than the BMX is good for.
[/quote]

Thanks MrP.

No, unfortunately the Ridgeback mx24 I have, has still got a good few years use in it. I've pretty much sold all my spare kids bikes. Know what you mean though, that 20" phase is probably the most awkward and shortest kids bike phase and often tricky to get right.